After being in a wheelchair for two years and going through a major surgery and months of physical therapy, learning how to walk again, I was proud and tearing up when I climbed up the flight of stairs in the therapy center and rang the bell. I’d been exercising and working with my physical therapist regularly, engaging my quads, core, hamstrings, and glutes, and finally, I was strong enough to walk up the stairs.
Some people have a simple goal of climbing a flight or two of stairs without feeling out of breath, and stair climbing is a good indicator of aerobic fitness and lower-body strength. Researchers investigated the impact of stair climbing on the risk of cardiovascular disease. Protecting our heart health is a priority, and it turns out, taking the stairs instead of the elevator is good news for your heart.
How many flights of stairs lowers the risk of heart disease?
In a study published in the journal Atherosclerosis, researchers revealed that:
- Climbing up five or more flights of stairs every day could drop heart disease risk by 20%.
- Participants who were climbing stairs every day and then stopped had a 32% higher risk of heart disease.
The magic number, at least in this study, is more than five flights of stairs, which is approximately 50 steps, and the risk of cardiovascular disease was lower, independent of disease susceptibility.
The benefits of stair climbing
Researchers have revealed the numerous benefits of stair climbing, including boosting energy, mood, and aerobic capacity, as well as improving cardiometabolic risk factors such as blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, body composition, and cholesterol levels.
In previous research from Duke University, climbing 55 flights of stairs per week was associated with increased longevity. Research involving data from the UK Biobank showed that 6-10 flights per day was linked to the lowest risk of lung cancer and all-cause mortality. The UK Biobank study comes out to about 42 and 70 flights per week, and the researchers stated that climbing more than five flights of stairs at home every day lowers the risk of premature mortality. For reference, one flight of stairs typically has around 13 to 16 steps, but it varies.
Concluding thoughts
It’s up to you how many flights of stairs you’d like to aim for, but based on the research, five is a good place to start. Even being more aware in general and trying to take the stairs more often instead of the elevator means you’re heading in the right direction. Stair climbing can help you level up your fitness, strengthen your major leg muscles, boost your aerobic capacity, and possibly improve your mood. Plus, you’ll be helping to protect your heart.
